If you dropped food on the ground, how much time before it becomes unsafe to consume?

Answer 1

have you never heard off the ten second rule?

Answer 2

Time is not really the main factor. More importantly you need to consider what was dropped and what type of surface did it land on. Bacteria flourishes in wet/damp cool places. So, you would need to consider was the food dropped in a puddle, on a damp floor, outside, in your kitchen, in the dirt, on the floor in a locker room, etc. Also, different surfaces are going to be cleaner than others. For example my kitchen floor is generally quite clean and since we don't wear shoes or bare feet in our home, bacteria doesn't thrive on my kitchen floor. If however it were the floor in a restaurant with many people walking on that floor with their shoes on all day long, bacteria is going to be more prevalent.

Further, an article I read once stated that bacteria has such a hard time thriving on a dry, non porous surface that any food dropped there for a short period of time isn't going to "pick up" any unsafe bacteria.

Recently many medical professionals have started advising people to calm down a little about hyper vigilant sanitizing as people over time are starting to become less immune to simple bacteria because of lack of exposure. I truly believe that a little bit of dirt and exposure to general germs builds up strength, immunity and protection. So, I wouldn't fret too much about dropping something on the floor and eating it.

Answer 3

They recently did a test here in the NY area, depending on where you dropped and what it is the 5 second rule does hold true. Skittles can actually be on the ground for 30 seconds before growing bacteria. My personal opinion? On the ground, in the garbage, don't matter if the floor was just washed with clorox, I ain't touching it...

Answer 4

many rules were considered in the past. these were all shown to be superfluous.

A grade school girl showed that the rules did not help you decide at all if your food is safe after falling. She did an experiment where she dropped food. If she picked it up immediately & it had the same number of bacteria as if she let it lie there longer.

so it depends what you drop your food into not how long it lies there.

Answer 5

Depends on what the food is and how dirty the floor is! Normally I follow the 5 second rule (just because several of us are fighting over it so it doesn't last longer than 5 seconds) but say it's soup, I don't want it. And nothing that falls on the bathroom floor of a gas station is going in my mouth!

Answer 6

Once you drop something on the ground, it's never good to eat it. Just throw it away. The ground is very dirty, and by eating it after you drop it would give you many bad germs and may give you sickness.

Answer 7

There is a bogus 5-second rule which is basically debunked. And it wasn't a 10-second rule it was a 5-second rule.

If it falls on the floor it is pretty much infected right away. Germs and e-coli are lickety-split.

Answer 8

The second it hits the ground it is unsafe to eat.

Answer 9

What is up with people and saying the "10 second rule" thing? I think that if it is on the ground at all, then its nasty and probably has crap all over it unless the floor is really clean.

Answer 10

It depends where you dropped the food and what kind of food it was you dropped. The safest thing to do is not eat it at all if you are worried about it.

Answer 11

If you're serving in a restaurant, you throw it out. If you're at home, don't sweat it too much unless you live in a pigsty. Just pick it up quickly and it shouldn't be dangerous. If you are picky about it, just remember...when in doubt, throw it out!